Sports briefs

HOUSTON (AP) — Former major leaguer Chuck Knoblauch has been charged with assaulting his common-law wife.

HOUSTON (AP) — Former major leaguer Chuck Knoblauch has been charged with assaulting his common-law wife.

A judge set Knoblauch's bond at $10,000 after he appeared in court Tuesday. According to a criminal complaint, Knoblauch's wife told police he hit her in the face and then choked her at their Houston home on Friday.

Knoblauch's attorney did not immediately return a telephone call Tuesday.

The 41-year-old former infielder is a Houston native and a four-time All-Star who played for the New York Yankees, Minnesota Twins and Kansas City Royals from 1991-02.

Knoblauch was one of more than 80 players who were accused of using performance-enhancing drugs in the 2007 Mitchell Report on baseball's steroids era. Knoblauch later acknowledged using performance enhancers.

CANONSBURG (AP) — Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby has practiced for the first time since injuring his groin during a preseason game Thursday in Columbus.

Crosby took part in the Penguins' practice Tuesday and expects to play in the season opener Friday against New York Rangers. The Penguins will raise their Stanley Cup championship banner at Mellon Arena that night.

Crosby skated Saturday and Sunday, but did not play in the Penguins' final exhibition game Sunday in Detroit.

Evgeni Malkin, last season's NHL scoring leader, took a scheduled day off Tuesday.

Penguins forward Max Talbot skated for the first time since having surgery to repair a torn labrum in his left shoulder. He is expected to be sidelined until midseason.

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — Arnold Palmer says he has been selected to receive a Congressional Gold Medal, which honors a person for his distinguished achievements and contributions.

Palmer, a seven-time major champion whose charisma and hard-charging style made an elite sport popular with the masses, said he would receive the medal from President Barack Obama during a ceremony Wednesday at the White House.

Palmer is the second golfer to receive the medal. Byron Nelson was honored shortly after his death in 2006. The Congressional Gold Medal has been presented to 141 persons or groups, with George Washington receiving the first one in 1776.

PHOENIX (AP) — Diana Taurasi has been named the WNBA's most valuable player.

The Phoenix Mercury star was presented the award at a news conference Tuesday prior to the team's WNBA Finals opener against the Indiana Fever.

Taurasi, a four-time WNBA all-star, led the league in scoring at 23.8 points per game. She and fellow first-team all-star Cappie Pondexter led the high-scoring Mercury to a 23-11 regular season record, best in the WNBA.

A two-time Olympic gold medalist, Taurasi is in her sixth WNBA season after being drafted No. 1 by the Mercury out of Connecticut in 2004.

GAINESVILLE, Fla. (AP) — Florida quarterback Tim Tebow went through more tests and had his coach tagging along.

Coach Urban Meyer said he went through balance and memory tests with his star player Tuesday because he was curious about the post-concussion process.

Meyer's not alone.

Tebow's concussion has drawn national interest, and Meyer was inundated with questions about Tebow's recovery for the second straight day.

Meyer said Tebow still has a headache and isn't allowed to watch television or read. So there's no studying a play book or checking out tape of top-ranked Florida's next opponent, LSU on Oct. 10.

Tebow, who sustained a concussion Saturday at Kentucky, did not practice Tuesday.

NEW YORK (AP) — Bobby Valentine is returning to ESPN as an analyst on "Baseball Tonight" for the league championship series and World Series.

ESPN announced Tuesday that the former New York Mets manager will assume a larger role in the 2010 season.

Valentine recently ended a six-year run as manager of the Chiba Lotte Marines in Japan's Pacific League.

The 59-year-old Valentine says he's "been following major league baseball closely from afar, and look forward to delving back into those conversations."

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Steelers receiver Limas Sweed may have dropped his way onto the bench.

Pittsburgh coach Mike Tomlin says he may deactivate Sweed, the team's second-round pick last year, for Sunday night's game against the San Diego Chargers (2-1).

"Absolutely," Tomlin said at his Tuesday news conference when asked if he was considering benching Sweed in favor of veteran Shaun McDonald.

Sweed had one catch for 5 yards and dropped a pass in the end zone in the third quarter on Sunday as the Steelers fell to 1-2 with a 23-20 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals (2-1).

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Colts defensive end Dwight Freeney could miss two to three weeks with an injured right quadriceps, according to a report on ESPN's Web site.

The story cited an unnamed league source.

Colts spokesman Craig Kelley said the team would not provide a more detailed injury report until Wednesday. Freeney's agent, Gary Wichard, did not respond to e-mails sent by The Associated Press.

Freeney was injured on the last play of the third quarter of Sunday's victory over Arizona.

He walked to the locker room and team president Bill Polian said Monday night that Freeney said "if he could walk, he could play."

Never miss a story

Choose the plan that's right for you.
Digital access or digital and print delivery.